Bendigo Marketplace car park the venue for 2018 Bendigo Fashion Festival runway show

The festival’s flagship runway show will this year be staged in a car park beneath the Bendigo Marketplace for the first time in the event’s 12-year history.

Bendigo Fashion Festival president Dannielle Downs said the venue was chosen to align with the festival’s ‘Dark Blooms’ theme.

Designers featured in the October 13 runway show will range from long-term exhibitors, such as Alysha Elliott, to design students showcasing their pieces for the first time.

“It is incredibly important to us that we not only support out local retailers but also our local designers and design students who’re passionate about paving the way for their future in the Australian fashion industry” Miss Downs said.

“The festival has grown exponentially over the course of the past 12 years but one thing that hasn’t changed is our commitment to supporting local.”

This year’s festival will feature a static display of Ballarat artist Kat Pengelly’s ‘Fashion for Funerals’ exhibition.

A video produced by the ABC will accompany the Koshka - Art Fuelled Fashion artist’s pieces.

“It’s opportunities like this which supported local artists, of all art forms, to leverage their exposure outside the traditional boundaries of their home town,” Pengelly said.

“Different art forms attract different audiences, the more we can permeate our society with diverse artistic content; the more happy, healthy and wealthy a community becomes.”

Tickets for the 2018 Runway show are available from the Bendigo Marketplace website.

Bendigo Marketplace is the major sponsor of the 2018 Bendigo Fashion Festival.

Miss Downs, who works for the Marketplace, said proceeds from the $20 ticket price went to supporting local retail.

More to come.

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